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Which counties in Washington are adding jobs fastest?

Thurston County (+15.2%), Wahkiakum County (+11.9%) and Spokane County (+11.5%) added private-sector jobs fastest in Washington between 2018 and 2023.

Data as of 2023 · updated

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All 39 ranked Washington counties

Washington counties ranked by private-sector job growth
RankCountyChange 2018–23Private jobs 2023Residents
1Thurston County+15.2%86,664304,261
2Wahkiakum County+11.9%4784,873
3Spokane County+11.5%218,708558,344
4Pierce County+11.1%294,765946,288
5Kittitas County+10.1%13,28348,803
6Clark County+9.9%159,914532,119
7Island County+9.9%14,48685,657
8Snohomish County+9.7%283,649870,656
9Asotin County+8.7%5,37422,545
10Pacific County+8.7%4,69524,357
11Franklin County+8.6%24,069102,612
12Skamania County+8.5%1,62412,669
13Douglas County+8.3%8,67446,473
14Adams County+8.3%4,75921,488
15Grant County+8.0%24,839105,727
16Okanogan County+7.0%8,81945,230
17Benton County+6.8%76,642221,722
18Lewis County+6.7%22,27588,062
19Whatcom County+5.9%80,648236,392
20Klickitat County+5.4%4,24724,331
21Stevens County+5.1%8,42349,668
22Mason County+4.7%10,13871,165
23Chelan County+4.6%32,77981,941
24King County+4.5%1,305,9472,344,939
25Walla Walla County+4.3%21,37262,361
26San Juan County+4.2%5,37818,577
27Clallam County+4.2%18,88478,202
28Lincoln County+3.5%1,75011,982
29Whitman County+3.3%11,41748,512
30Cowlitz County+2.9%33,796114,885
31Skagit County+2.1%44,636132,975
32Kitsap County+1.9%63,168283,374
33Jefferson County+0.8%7,23733,970
34Grays Harbor County+0.4%15,92778,144
35Yakima County−1.2%71,390259,185
36Columbia County−2.9%9034,141
37Pend Oreille County−5.8%1,65514,457
38Garfield County−13.5%2632,416
39Ferry County−13.7%8557,517

How this is ranked

The change in paid employees of private employers in mid-March between 2018 and 2023 (Census Bureau County Business Patterns). Government jobs and the self-employed are not counted. Counties with fewer than 1,000 residents, or without a figure for the same period as the others, are not ranked.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, County Business Patterns. Figures come from public federal statistics and are informational only, not investment advice. Check the source before relying on a number. Methodology: how ranks and figures are built. More on every layer: data sources and licences.

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Questions

Which county in Washington has the fastest job growth?

Thurston County: +15.2%, ahead of Wahkiakum County (+11.9%) and Spokane County (+11.5%), of 39 Washington counties ranked.

How is this ranking calculated?

The change in paid employees of private employers in mid-March between 2018 and 2023 (Census Bureau County Business Patterns). Government jobs and the self-employed are not counted. Counties with fewer than 1,000 residents, or without a figure for the same period as the others, are not ranked.

More county rankings for Washington

Private-sector job growth in other states

Across the U.S.